


Verderame

by arcanecadenza



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29118528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcanecadenza/pseuds/arcanecadenza
Summary: In which Julian arrives late to a party at the Palace and comes across Nadia, who is avoiding that very same party.
Relationships: Julian Devorak/Nadia
Kudos: 7





	Verderame

Julian raced through the Palace gardens, ducking under branches and doing his best to avoid getting his clothing caught on any of the thorns of the many rose bushes scattered about. He was late, so very late, to the party for which he held an invitation extended to him by the Countess, herself. His paperwork for the day had taken him a lot longer to finish than he had anticipated. Thank the Gods for Portia—who had shown him a way to reach the Palace from her cottage without having to go through the front entrance.

For the most part, Julian wasn’t so concerned about his tardiness as he was about giving the Countess, Nadia, a bad impression of him. The thought of being in the same room as her again, being able to hold a conversation with her was the only thing that was keeping Julian going after a long day at work. If she hadn’t been the one to invite him to the party taking place at the Palace that night, if she hadn’t told him that she had been looking forward to seeing him… he might have just remained at home or gone out to the Rowdy Raven.

Eventually, the lush green topiaries shaped to look like all sorts of animals and the tall hedges gave way to reveal the Vesuvian Palace. In anticipation of sneaking in through one of the entryways on the ground level, Julian ran his fingers through his hair to hopefully clear it of any twigs and leaves that got caught in it during his mad dash. He untied and retied his blood-red cravat. He was pondering whether or not he looked presentable as he passed the fountain, his thoughts so far away that he didn’t notice someone sitting on the marble ledge.

“Doctor Devorak,” a familiar voice greeted Julian. “I didn’t know that you had arrived—or that you had slipped out for a stroll in the gardens, for that matter.”

Julian stopped in his tracks, his heart in his throat, and turned around slowly to face Nadia, who was leaning back on her hands and looking at him with a glimmer in her ruby-red eyes. “I, uh, I’m just arriving now, actually.”

“Well, that’s a relief.” Nadia’s lips quirked up at the corners and her secret little smile prompted Julian to move closer to her. The Countess looked up at the doctor, her gaze so intense that it was as though he was wearing no clothes at all. “Otherwise, I was going to ask why-ever you did not ask me to join you.”

“You would have asked to join me?” Julian was standing close enough to Nadia that he would be able to sit down right next to her, if only she gave him a sign that she wanted him to do so. “I didn’t realize that you enjoyed my company that much. After all, the party… why _are_ you out here, alone, anyway, Countess?”

“Please, I’ve told you time and time again that you may call me Nadia.” The Countess smoothed her hand across pristine marble. “And I very much enjoy your company, for your information, my dear doctor. Which is why I was wondering whether you would like to join me out here while I recover a little before heading back inside to attend to my duties as hostess?”

Nodding so enthusiastically that his auburn curls bounced, Julian settled down next to Nadia on the ledge of the fountain. For a few moments, all the could be heard was the sound of flowing water, the sound of crickets chirping, and the distant noise of the party that Julian presumed was taking place in the ballroom. Julian glanced at Nadia, did his best to keep his gaze fixed on her elegant profile rather than her dress—which revealed a significant amount of skin to the cool air of the night. Nadia sighed and Julian’s grey eyes, which had started to stray, snapped back up to her face.

“Do you ever feel as though life is just a series of long performances?” she asked. “Long performances for which there is no curtain call and that you’re merely tweaking the script for all day long depending for whom you’re performing?”

“It does feel that way sometimes.” Julian’s eyebrows drew together in a pensive expression. “Did you… come out here to take a break from the performance that you have to put on as hostess?”

Nadia shrugged. “My face was starting to hurt from smiling so much at all the guests.” She chuckled. “I still don’t understand why having to smile every single second is an unwritten rule of hosting parties. Is my neutral expression so offensive that someone would not be able to stand seeing it for a moment if they were to glance in my direction?”

“I don’t know what others could possibly have against your neutral expression—I quite like it,” Julian admitted, a furious blush creeping into his pale cheeks. “You always look perfectly presentable, Countess. Lovely, even.”

“ _Nadia,_ ” she repeated, turning her head to look Julian in the eyes. “ _You,_ may call me Nadia, Julian.”

“Well then, _Nadia,_ ” Julian said cautiously, his blush growing deeper, “I think you’re lovely. And so very witty, your mind is truly one of the sharpest around.”

Nadia smiled, softly, and there was a tenderness in her expression that took Julian’s breath away. “Thank you.” She started to lean in.

“Is this…?” Julian murmured, his gaze fixed on Nadia’s lips, which were now only a breath away from his own. “Is this a performance, right now? Are we merely two actors going through the motions of a scene?”

“No, Julian.” Nadia’s wine-coloured lips brushed against his pink ones. “This is far from a performance.”

And so, with fireflies and the twinkling stars above their heads as their sole audience, Nadia pressed her lips fully against Julian’s. She kissed him slowly, sweetly, as though she was savouring him and his every subtle reaction. The way that her lips moved against his own, the way her tongue teased the seam of them… Julian knew in his fluttering heart that she had dreamed of this moment, too. When they pulled away from one another, they were both a little breathless and they rested their foreheads together, listened to the quiet bubbling of the fountain’s waters.

“Is it time to head inside?” Julian asked quietly, not wanting to disrupt their moment prematurely when he heard the sound of champagne bottles popping and cheers in the distance.

“Not quite yet, my dear doctor.” Nadia slipped her hands into Julian’s lap and intertwined her fingers with his. “Let’s enjoy the fact that the curtain is down just a little while longer.”

Julian closed his eyes, let his lips brush against the corner of her mouth. “Sounds good to me.”


End file.
